


i’ll follow you into the dark

by ailiyasneski



Category: IT - Stephen King
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bisexual Richie Tozier, Fluff and Angst, Gay Eddie Kaspbrak, It depends how you look at it, M/M, No Smut, Oblivious Richie Tozier, Richie Tozier Loves Eddie Kaspbrak, Soft Richie Tozier, Underage Kissing, after chapter one, it’s all soft, kind of?, seniors, sonia is mentioned, they’re 18, they’re both in high school
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-27
Updated: 2019-09-27
Packaged: 2020-10-29 07:30:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20792936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ailiyasneski/pseuds/ailiyasneski
Summary: “Eddie?”“Yeah?” His voice was soft and sweet honey.“I think I’m in love with you,”or, it’s their senior year and richie is a lot on his mind. mainly, eddie.





	i’ll follow you into the dark

**Author's Note:**

> for reference USF is the University of San Fransisco   
this is the first reddie fic i’ve written so maybe don’t be mean? thank you!   
<3

Richie peaked into the hideout, his eyes adjusting to the darkness below. Huffing, he adjusted his grip on the record player and headed down, ignoring the shadows that seemed to crawl around him. He was a senior, he shouldn’t be afraid of the dark. Still, he set the player down and turned on the community flashlight. It’d been so long since they’d all been down there, it almost felt wrong that it was just going to be him and Eddie tonight. The sun was starting to set, making the flashlight’s reach longer across the hideout’s walls. 

He got out his walkie talkie. “Eddie Spaghetti, you copy me?” his singsong attitude was hopefully enough to mask his nerves. 

“Don’t call me that, Rich,” Eddie sighed from the other line. Richie smiled. 

“Eddie, love, it’s been so long!” 

“Cut it with the stupid British accent, my mom could hear-”

“Maybe I should invite her to, then. You know she’s always begging for me-” 

“Richie!” Eddie couldn’t hide his laughter. “Mom jokes. After all this time?” 

“What do you want?” 

“Bring some candles. I didn’t realize it would be this dark.” 

“Sure thing,” 

“Out and over,”

Richie smiled to himself before getting to work. He moved the record player to the side of the hideout, making room for Eddie and him to sit comfortably. While cashing some bugs away, his eyes caught a glimpse of the hammock. He softly smiled, moving his hand along the dusty cloth. His comic laid in the center, pages faded and brittle; Richie felt a wave of nostalgia. That summer felt like ages ago. Now it was just him, Eddie, and Mike left. It’s a bittersweet reminder, the hideout.

“My mom’s gonna kill me for this. You’re so lucky I even got out of the house!” Eddie’s complaining voice pulled Richie from his thoughts. 

“Maybe if I come over, she’ll change her mind,” Richie winked. 

“Fuck off, Richie,” Eddie set a couple of candles down on the floor. 

“Shit, I forgot-” 

“A lighter,” Eddie finished, pulling one from his windbreaker pocket. “You’re lucky I’m the smart one,”

“Keep telling yourself that, Eds. Only a genius could come up with my jokes,” 

“You’ve been saying ‘I fucked your mom’ for what? Five years now?”   
“It’s a crowd pleaser, what can i say?” Richie smirked. Eddie hummed in reply, lighting the candles. 

“Why didn’t you invite Mike?” 

There it was: the question Richie hoping wouldn’t come up. This was his last chance with Eddie before they graduated, and as much as he loved Mike, this was just something he had to do with Eddie and Eddie alone. 

“He couldn’t come,” he lied. 

Eddie didn’t seem to believe him, but nodded anyway. “Alright.”

“Anyway,” Richi spoke quickly. “I was just thinking we could listen to some tunes and drown in childhood memories before life slaps us in the face.” 

“It already has,” 

“Not until I say it has, Sènor,”

Richie shuffles through a couple records, and decides on The Beatles’ Abbey Road. “A classic,” he mutters to himself, placing down the needle. You Never Give Me Your Money plays quietly as Eddie stretched his legs on the floor. Riche looks at him from behind, and help but notice how the bits of light seeping from the boards tangle into his hair, making him golden. The dust danced in the air, but strangely enough Eddie didn’t complain. 

“I think I’m gonna miss this,” 

Richie took a spot next to him. “I’m not sure I’ll remember this,” 

“What do you mean?” Eddie’s fear seeped through his voice, and Richie wanted to slap himself. 

“I’m- I’m,” He stuttered. This wasn’t exactly how he planned telling him. “They accepted me. USF. I’m leaving after graduation.” 

“Richie,” Eddie’s tone was soft and hurt. Richie hated it. “I’m so glad,” He hated that even more. 

“I wanna say ‘I won’t forget you’, ‘ill write, and all that bullshit,” Richie began. “But we all know it isn’t true. I won’t. Bev didn’t Bill didn’t, Ben or Stan. They’ve forgotten about us. And I don't wanna forget this, but I’m not sure I’ll even remember anything about Derry, let alone this,” His shaking hand gestured around. 

“You won’t forget, Rich,” Eddie had some misplaced confidence in Richie, and it pissed him off. 

“How do you know that?” He hissed. 

Eddie was silent for too long. It was suffocating.   
“I don’t,” 

They stayed quiet for a long time. Richie looked back from the hammock to Eddie’s sun kissed skin. Finally, he got up, moving to the hammock. He looked over at Eddie, picking up the comic and smiling. Eddie smiled back. They squished together in the hammock- if they didn’t have room when they were 13, the definitely were on top of each other at 18. Eddie laid on Richie’s lap, resting his head on his rest. It was some unspoken thing between them, and Richie wanted to scream at the innocence of it all. After everything, Eddie still somehow could be the eye inside a hurricane. The scent of strawberry shampoo, the soft candle light, the crinkly pages of the comic, and Eddie’s warmth made Richie feel at home. He wrapped his arms around Eddie, and the other boy pressed himself closer. 

“Eddie?” 

“Yeah?” His voice was soft and sweet honey. 

“I think I’m in love with you,” 

Eddie hummed, not looking away from the comic. “I know,” 

“You what?” Richie was taken aback. 

“I know, and I love you,” 

“And you don’t- you’re-” his brain was short circuiting. 

Eddie chuckled, placing a kiss right below Richie’s lips, puting the comic down. “It’s been five years, Rich. We just didn’t have to say anything,” 

Richie wanted to say so many things. Clearly we did, because I didn’t know you liked me back. I didn’t know you were gay. Have we been dating this whole time? What happens when we leave Derry? I don’t want to forget us.

Instead, Richie leaned down. He kissed Eddie softly. They shared their comfort in that hammock, safe from the world that crashed around them.


End file.
